Mindsets which mar our view of God’s Truth

Umbrellas. :o)

I love umbrellas~~~such happy memories of using umbrellas as a child, walking with my beloved under umbrellas, my children under umbrellas... Using an umbrella still gives me that thrill of childhood.

Life, though, has certainly brought reality up front and personal and one of the ways is the term: 

“The Umbrella of Protection,” which is used in the philosophy of Gothardism.  In the least, it is a legalistic, unbiblical aberration. 

The blog post Peering Underneath the Umbrella: Musings on Gothardism, by Dulce Chale, is worth your read to open your eyes to the level of falsehood which is out there in Christian circles, and to not only be aware of it but, 

PLEASE beware of it!

Of all the ways and situations in which I have come alongside women and families over these years, I was still broken by a 'new-to-me' falsehood which is propagated in Gothardism as I read this blog post.

The false belief is that if you are "perfectly obedient" under the Umbrella of Protection, then you are a "diamond".  But even if you stray (sin) from this "perfect obedience" and return (repentance?) then you are considered a "cracked diamond" and will never be as good as those who are perfect. 

Before I continue, we must have a reality check.

No one --- not one of us is perfect even if we were to follow Gothard's lists, or any other manipulator's or cult's list of rules, to perfection --- so no one is perfectly obedient. 

Romans 3:21-26

 Apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as apropitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

So what is this "Umbrella of Protection"?  

You see---absolute obedience to Gothard legalisms is expected under a father of the Gothard family.  When you are under him, you are under “the umbrella of protection”.

Dulce shares, 

“Those who rebel and eventually return are gravely compared to cracked diamonds--only worth a fraction of the value they could have had if they had been submissive all along.”

...“The fatal flaw of Gothard’s teachings is that he denies the power of Christ.  It is all about Man.”...

“Grace becomes redefined as MAN’s desire and MAN’s ability to do God’s will. [This] “Grace” rests squarely on our efforts.”...

“The work of the Cross becomes an afterthought, and all that matters is our ability to conform to the checklist.”...

“The concept of mercy is ignored.  The power of Christ’s sacrifice is a mere footnote to our own efforts and accomplishments.  

This is incredibly dangerous, especially because it is the kind of mindset that corrupts every thing it touches.”

Dulce finishes with: 

“I find that grace isn’t about me; it is about the amazing love that God lavishes on us.  It isn’t about my efforts or shortcomings.  It is about His mercy and patience in helping me grow...I am enjoying the glorious sunshine of freedom and grace.”

Now to all my dear, precious sisters in Christ~~~

no matter where you have come from, no matter where you have been, no matter how "cracked or broken" you may feel, no matter what anyone says of you or thinks of you~~~

You are dearly loved by God.  

His Son, our Savior, died for you and was raised from the dead conquering sin--all sin. Your sin and my sin. Yesterday's sin and tomorrow's sin.  When you humbly turn from your sin, and repent, you are a new creation.   

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 

When God sees you, He sees you through Jesus's blood---you are spotless in His righteousness.

Yes, we still have a sin nature and we still sin, but we do not live in a consuming life style of sin.

Paul says in Romans 7:14-25:

we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.  But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Wretched man that I am! 

Who will set me free from the body of this death? 

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! 

So precious sisters in Christ~~~know you are a jewel to the King of Kings! Precious in His sight.

Malachi 3:17 NKJV
“They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

 Recovering Grace, thank you for your ministry.